Train indicator



5 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. HUTCHlNSON TRAIN mnzcuon Filed July :1. i922 M hlilll W.

Aug. 1, 1925.

Aug. 4, 1925. 1,548.3

' J. HUTCHINSON TRAIN INDICATOR Filed July 21. 1922 .5 sheets-shut a fl w/M Aug. 4, 1925.

J. HU T CHINSON TRAN INDI GATOR Filed July 21, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 J. HUTCHINSON TRAIN INDICATOR Filed July 21 1922 Patented Aug. 4, 1925.

1,548,364; PATENT orrics.

JOB nuroszmson, or SAUGERTIES, NEW YORK.

TRAIN INDICATOR.

Application filed July 21, 1922.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Joe I-lU'rornNsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Saugerties, in the county of Ulster and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Train Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to changeable exhibiters or signs, and more particularly to indicators such as are used in large railway terminals to inform the public as to the leaving time and route of the trains on the varioustracks.

As is well known, such railway terminals usually comprise a concourse separated from the train shed or sheds by means of barrier, usually in the nature of an iron fence, and gate ways are provided for admitting passengers desiring to board the trains, all passengers wishing to take any particular train being compelled to pass through the same gate way. It is also customary to arrange above such gate ways suitable signs indicating the track number, destination, and time of leaving of the various trains.

It is often desirable to provide two closely adjacent gateways and one object of the present invention is to provide a reversible sign board or indicator which may be swung into a position over either one of such gate ways as desired.

A further objectof the invention is to devise means whereby the sign board or frame carrying the sign cards may be lowered from its elevated display position, into a positionwhere it is accessible to an attendant standing on the floor, for the purpose of changing the cards.

With the aboveand other objectsin view, I have devised a vertical supporting column adapted to be secured to or form a part of the usual iron work of the fence, and having a sign structure mounted thereon in such manner that it may be both raised and lowered and swung in a horizontal plane, and I have also provided means whereby the sign structure, when-in its operative or display position, is locked against vertical movement. The invention also comprises numerous subsidiary features and improved details of construction,

all as will appear from the following description and be pointed out in the ap pended claims.

Serial No. 576,589.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, reference is had to the ac companying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of one form of my improved sign or train indicator;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, parts being broken away, and the inoperative position of the sign being indicated in dotted lines;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the sign boarditself, indicating various positions of the parts, by dotted lines;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation board itself.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged section, substantially on the line 5---5 of F 5;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the sign or indicator shown in Fig. o;

Fig. 7 is a detailed fragmentary sectional elevation, showing my improved positioning and locking means;

Fig. 8 is a transverse section on line 88 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of a slightly modified construction of indicator, as employed in connection with a fence comprising extensive iron work, parts being in section;

Fig. 10 is a rear elevation of the sign structure shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a plan view thereof:

Fig. 12 is a vertical section substantially on the line 1212 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary section substantially on the line 18'13 of Fig. 9.

Figs. lat and 15 are a fragmentary elevation and vertical section, respectively, on an enlar ed scale, showing a detail of construction hereinafter described; and

Figs. 16 and 17 are an elevation and plan respectively, of the improved card holder or receptacle, used in connection with the time indicating device shown in Fig. 12.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 8 thereof, the reference character 1 designates a hollow iron post which may or may not form a part of the usual iron fence. At the top and at the rear of thispost is an opening in which is mounted a bracket 2 secured to and uniting the upper ends of a supporting column of the sign of the sign or rod 3, outside of the post and spaced slightly therefrom, and a second rod or guide 7 disposed centrally inside of the post. The lower end of the rod or column 3 is set in a socket or boss 4-, carried by the base of ture, I provide a counterweight 6, arranged to slide on the guide rod or column 7 within the post 1, and connected to the sleeve by means of a chain or other flexible element 6, passing over a pulley 7, journaled in the bracket 2.

In order to prevent the chain 6 from twist ing when the sleeve 5 is rotated, I preferably attach the chain to the sleeve by means of a swiveled ball bearing collar 38, supported by a yoke 87, as clearly shown in detail inFigs. 14- and 15.

As clearly shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the column 3 is provided with a longitudinal groove 9, extending throughout a portion of the length thereof, and adjacent the upper end of the groove 9 is a transverse or semiannular,intersecting groove 10, which latter extends for approximately 189, as clearly shown in Fig. 8. Preferably the longitudinal groove 9 is extended slightly above the transverse groove 10, as shown at 9 in Fig. 7, so as to permit the free action of the bufr fer springs, hereinafter described. A' pin or set screw 11 carried by the sleeve 5 engages with the grooves 9 and 19, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

At the upper and lower ends of the rod or column 3 are arranged butler springs 12 and 13, respectively,against which the ends of sleeve 5 strike, as the sleeve reaches the upper and lower limits of its movement, such springs serving to cushion the impact which would otherwise be objectionable.

Rigidly secured to the sleeve 5, as by split culi's 1-2, are one or more horizontal arms, two of such arms is: being shown in the drawings. .These arms are provided at their outer ends with alined sleeves, through which passes a vertical rod or shaft 15,

which rod is rigidly clamped into position in said arms, asby means of set screws 16.

The sign board or frame 1n lliS entirety, is

designated bythe numeral 17, and as shown,

is rectangular in shape. It is provided at its back =w1thtwo centrally disposed aimed bearings 18, in which are received the ends.

ofthe rod 15. r V By virtue of'theabove described construction, it Wlll bB ObVIOUS that the sign board I 17, as a whole, can be rotated around the shaft 15 as a center, as indicated by the dotted arrows 1 in Fig. 6, and that the sign board, with the arms 141, can be swung around the rod 3 as center, as indicated by bracket 19 which may be locked to the shaft 15 by means of set screws 20 and which carries at its ends bearing studs 21, which may be screwed in or out, so as to adjust to a nicety the angular position of the sign board 17, relative to the shaft 15.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 5, the sign board 17 comprises a main outer frame in the upper part of which is arranged a panel 22 for indicating the track number, as shown in Fig. 1. Below this panel is arranged a sub-frame 24, pivoted at its lower edge to the main frame, as indicated at 26. The pivot pins 26 are carried by lugs 27, which project out beyond the plane of the sign board, and the sub-frame is provided with pivot lugs 26, which are also oifset,as shown in Fig. 1, so that when the sub-frame occupies its normal position within the main frame, it will be maintained in such position tendant standing on the floor can swing the sub-frame 24 on its pivot in the arc of a oncle, as indicated at e in Fig. 4. V

The large sign card indicating the name of the railroad company and the destination ofthe train is designated at 29. This card usually consists of a piece of sheet metal provided with a wire beading around its edges, such wire being shown at 31in Fig. 5. Slots 32 are formed through the sign card 29, adjacent the wire 31, at the upper edge of the card, and in my improved arrangement, these slots are adapted to be engaged over hooks 30 secured to thelower edg .of the time indicating device,23, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. Thus, the sign card 29 isdetachably secured to and freely suspended from the time indicating device 23. swung on its pivot 26, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 4, the time indicating device 23 and the attachedsigncar'd 29 also swing out from the sub-frame by gravity,

Therefore, when the sub-frame 24 is changing device 23 has been swung down into a position where it is low enough to be accessible to an attendant standlng upon the floor, and when in this position, the

cards can be readily changed.

It will be readily understood from the foregoing that the arms 14 may be swung around the rod or column 3, so as to bring the sign board 17 on either side of the post 1, as indicated in full and dotted lines in Figs. 1, 3, and 6. Thisswinging movement is permitted by reason of the fact that the pin 11 travels in the transverse or semiannular groove 10, and it will be apparent that so long as the pin is in this groove, the sleeve and associated sign structure are locked against vertical movement. When, however, the arms 14 and sign board are swung half-way around between the two display positions and stopped in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, so that the pin 11 is in alinement with the vertical groove 9, in the column 3, the pin can pass from the groove 10 into the groove 9 and thus permit the sleeve to freely travel up and down on the supporting column. The purpose of lowering the sleeve and sign board into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2 is, of course, to bring the sign board down within reach of an attendant standing on thefioor so that the cards may be changed.

When the sign board 17 is swung from v full line to dotted line position, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 6, it is, of course, necessary to reverse the board in order that the sign may always face in the same direction. This is accomplished by simply loosening the set screws 20 and swinging the sign board around the shaft 15 as a center, as indicated by the arrows y in Fig. 6. Thus, by virtue of this double swinging movement around both the rods 3 and 15, the sign board may be moved from one side of the post to the other, and yet be caused to face in the same direction. Moreover, the rela tion of the figures and letters constituting the sign, to the observer, is preserved, so that no confusion results in the reading of the sign.

It will be noted that I have shown and described two dilferent methods of lowering the sign board into a position Where it is accessible to the attendant, one of these methods being shown in Fig. 2, and the other in Fig.4. It is desirable to combine both of these into the same structure, as shown in the drawings, so that in case one means of lowering should in any way become inoperative, the other means may be employed. Thus, continuous operation of the indicator is assured, and emergencies are provided for.

\ In Figs. 9 to 13, I have illustrated a slightly modified construction of myinvention, adapted for use in connection with fences comprising continuous iron panels. Such fences commonly comprise a series of hollow posts, such as 1 and 1 forming part of the iron work, the passenger gate ways being located between posts, and below the iron panel work.

In the present modification, I employ the fundamental parts similar to those described in connection with the first modification, and similarly lettered, including the columns 3 and 7 the counterweight, pulley, chain, etc. The sleeve which car ries the sign structure is designated 35, and its upper end is of special construction, as shown in Figs. 14 and 15, it being understood that such construction is also contemplated inFigs. 2 and 3. By reference to these Figs. 14 and 15, it will be seen that around the upper end of the sleeve 35, which is comparatively thin, is fitted a relatively heavy cull 35, held on by set screws 35. The chain 6 is attached directly to a lug 40, carried by a yoke consisting of a ring 37, having arms 39, pivoted at their lower ends to diametrically opposite points of a swiveled ring 38, having therein another flanged ring 38, carrying upper and lower raceways, 38 and 38, between which run balls 38 the upper raceway 38 resting against the lower edge of the cuff 35. A wear ring 35 is preferably fitted in the upper end of the cuff 35, and is secured therein by set screws 35 Set into the upper end of the the sleeve 35 andcufi 35 is a set screw or pin 36, the inner end of which works in the grooves 9, 10. It will be noted that in this modification, this pin is placed at the upper end of the sleeve instead of at its lower end, as in Fig. 2, and consequently, the grooves 9 and 10 are located in the upper part of the column or rod 3. However, aset screw 41 may be employed at the lower end of the sleeve 35, if desired, as shown in Fig. 12, to aid in clamping the sleeve in position. This set screw works through a cuff 35 located at the lower end of the sleeve, and carrying a wear ring 35, held in by screws 35 In order to prevent twisting of the chain 6, I provide a set screw or pin 41, which extends through the ring 37 and engages in the groove 9. Thus, as the yoke and sleeve shown in Figs. 14 and 15 slide up and down the rod 3, the sleeve can freely turn in the swivel ring 38 when the pin 36 reaches the transverse groove 10, but the yoke to which the chain is attached is prevented from turning by reason of the engagement of the pin 41, in that portion of the groove 9 which is above the groove 10.

The supporting arms are designated at 44, and are shown as secured to the sleeve 35 by means of split cuffs 42, united by bolts 43. The arms 44 are secured to the shaft 15 by set screws 46, and the, sign board, which is designated 47, is provided with alined bearings as which are jojurnaled on the shaft 15.. The sign board,.as shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 13, is of slightly different construction from thatpreviously described, being lightened by having portions cut away from the interior thereof, as indicated at 49. Adjacent its four corners the sign board is preferably provided with project-I ing lugs 47, carrying bumpers 47" formed of rubber or the like, which are adapted to engage the rear of posts 1 and 1" to limit the forward movement of the sign board and prevent noisy contact.

5O designates the iron work panel at the rear of the translucent panel 52 carrying the track number as shown in Fig. 9, lamps 51 being preferably disposed between the panels 50 and 52, to illuminate the latter.

Below the panel 52 is an opening 55 in the iron work panel 56, such opening being made to expose the face of'the time indicating device designated at 53. dicating device differs slightly from the one previously described, in that it is offset from the main sign board 4:7 and lies in a plane in front thereof. The time indicating device 53 is carried at the forward end of truss arms 53, secured at their rear to upstanding brackets 54, carried by the sign board &7. a

Just below the opening 55, the iron work recedes and an opening 61 is provided between the posts 1 and l of such size and shape as to exactly register with the sign board 47. 62 designates a cross beam or melding of the ironwork, extending between the posts below the sign.-

The sign card shown in connection with the sign board illustrated in Fig. 13 comprises a piece of sheet metal 59 which is removably held on the sign board by means of two pairs of brackets 58 and 58; The sign card is made narrower th an the distance between the bodies of these brackets and the ends of the brackets are bent to form flanges whichserve to retain the sign card in position, the upper flange being longerthan the distance between the upper edge of the card and thebody of the upper brackets. Thus, when it is desired to remove the card 5%),it is simply lifted until its lower edge clears the flanges of the brackets 58, when such lower edge may be swung outwardly, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 18, and the card removed.

The panel just below the time indicating device is preferably extended downwardly to form a canopy 57, and behind this canopy may be arranged one or more electric lamps 60, so disposed as to illuminate the face of the sign card 59. V

63 designates the usual sliding door for This time in i 56 of the 1ron work which is.

controlling the gate way. In its open position,'this door slides back directly under the sign board 47. i y i Preferably mounted between the brackets 54 at the top of the sign board 47, is a stor age box or receptacle 64for containing the interchangeable cards used in the time indicating device. :This box or receptacle is.

as shown, suflices tocontain all of the neces sary cards. a

i The method of operating thesign shown in Figs. 9 to 13, is substantially the same as that heretofore described, except that in the latter modification, the sign is not shown as reversible. In this case, however, the same advantages are present in regard to lowering the sign board in order to bring it into an accessible position. dothis, the Sign structure, together with the sleeve 85, is swung around on the column 3, until the pin .36 registers" with the groove 9, and then the sleeve and sign structure may be moved down along the column .3, until the sign can be readily reached by an attendant.

It will be noted that in both modifications, substantially the same principles are employed, and it will be understoodthat the method of holding the sign card, shown in Fig. 13, may be equally well used, in connection-witha reversible sign, such as shownin Figs. 1 and 3, instead of the swinging subframe arrangement therein illustrated.

It will also be understood that the counter-1 weight 6 is preferably made equal to the weight of the sleeve and sign structure, so

that such structure will remain stationary in whatever position it may be caused to occupy. i

What I claim is 1. A reversible sign comprising a support, an arm pivotally mounted atone end on said support, to. swing in a'horizontal plane, a sign board carried at the other end of'said arm andfpivoted so as to swing in a horizontal plane relative thereto, and means for holding said sign board in number of vertical planes making diifermt angles with said arms. 1 i 2. The combination with column, supported at both ends, of a signboard, means. for supporting said sign board on said column at the side thereof so that it is capable of swinging about the same-,-said supporting means andsign-board a a vertical When it is desired to any one of a being also capable of longitudinal movementon the column when in one predetermined angular position, and interengaging parts carried by said supporting means and columns for automatically locking said supporting means and sign-board against longitudinal movement when swung to any other angular position on either side of the first mentioned position. 7

3. The combination with a vertical supporting column, ofmeans for pivotally supporting a sign thereon to gyrate around the same into operative or display and inoperative or idle positions, said sign, when swung into inoperative position, being capable of moving longitudinally of said column, whereby said sign may be raised and lowered, and said column and supporting means having parts brought into engagement by the swinging of the sign into operative or display position for looking it against longitudinal movement.

4. The combination with a vertical sup porting column, of a sleeve both slidable and rotatable on said column, a sign carried by said sleeve laterally thereof, said column and sleeve having interengaging parts whereby the sleeve is locked against sliding movement except when in a single predetermined angular position.

5. The combination with a vertical supporting column, of a sleeve mounted for both rotary and slidingmovement thereon, a sign carried by said sleeve, said column having intersecting longitudinal and transverse grooves, and said sleeve having a pin working in said grooves, whereby, when said sleeve slides on the column, said pin travels in said longitudinal groove, and; when said sleeve is rotated so as to cause said pin to enter said transverse groove, the sleeve is locked against sliding movement.

6. The combination with a vertical supporting column, of a sleeve both slidable on said column and rotatable therearound, a sign carried by said sleeve, and a counterweight for balancing the weight of said sleeve and sign, whereby they will remain in any vertical position to which they are adjusted.

7. The combination with a hollow post, of a fixed supporting column carried thereby in spaced parallel relation, a sign mount ed on said column for vertical movement along the same, a pulley mounted at the top of said post and a flexible element passing over said pulley, said element being attached at one end to said sign, and a counterweight attached to the other end of said element, and movable inside of said hollow post.

8. The combination with a pair of mechanically and rigidly connected parallel spaced columns, of a sign vertically movable along one column, a counterweight verconnected columns, and a flexible connection extending over said pulley and at tached at its ends to said sign and saidcounterweight respectively.

9. The combination with a supporting column of a sleeve mounted for both rotary and sliding movement on said column, a sign board carried by said. sleeve, a counterweight for the sign board and sleeve, a chain connecting the counterweight and sleeve, and means for attaching one end of the chain to the sleeve, said means including a swiveled member whereby said sleeve may freely. rotate without twisting the chain.

10. The combination with a vertical column, of a sleeve movable both angularly and longitudinally thereof, a sign board carried by said sleeve, a chain for supporting the weight of said sign board and sleeve, and means for connecting said chain to the sleeve, said means comprising a swiveled member, and a yoke connected with said swivel member and having means to which the chain may be secured, and means for positively locking said yoke against rotation while permitting the sleeve to freely revolve.

11. The combination with a sign board comprising a frame, and means for supporting it at such a height as to be normally inaccessible, of a sub-frame, pivotally mounted at its lower edge in said frame, and capable of swinging through 180 on its pivots, and a changeable sign pivotally carried by said sub-frame, and always facing in the same direction, whereby when said sub-frame is swung downwardly on its piv-- ots, said changeable sign is brought within the reach of an operator.

12. The combination with a sign board and means for normally supporting the same in a position so elevated as to be inaccessible from the floor, of a frame pivotally mounted at its lower edge on said sign board, and capable of swinging downwardly through 180, and a changeable sign pivotally carried by said frame, and always facing in the same direction, whereby when said frame is swung downwardly about its pivots, such sign is brought within reach of an operator standing on the floor.

18. The combination with a train indicator, comprising a main frame, of a subframe pivotally mounted on said main frame, a time indicating device pivotally mounted at its upper edge in said subframe, and a sign card detachably secured to the lower edge of said time indicating device.

14. In a train indicator, the combination with the main frame, of a sub-frame pivotally mounted thereon, and normally oo- 15 into position to register cupying a vertical position, a time indicat- {ing device pivotally supported at the top of said sub-frame, and a sign card suspend- [ed from the lower edge of said time indicatl ing device, and normally lying within said sub-frame.

15. The combination with an iron-work fence having an opening, and a supporting column at one side of the fence, of a sleeve 10 both rotatably and slidably mounted on said out of position,

and whereby, when thus swung the sign board may be raised and lowered at will. 7 v

16. The combination with a hollow post,

position,-

of a supporting column mounted adjacent thereto, a sign board slidably mounted on said supporting column, a guide rod within said hollow post and rigidly connected at its upper end with said supporting column,

and a counterweight mounted to travel on a said guide rod within said post and connected with said sign board. y

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOB HUTCHINSON. 

